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Every year, I sit down and review our budget. Yep, I'm one of those. For me, that means I categorize everything, compare it to last year, and line it up against what I thought we’d spend. (In case you're curious, I use Quicken Simplifi to track expenses now that Mint is no more. RIP 😭)
And while I get a very strange sense of satisfaction out of spending too many hours, too late at night, wrangling money that's already been spent, you'd think we were absolutely BALLING this year based on our numbers because…holy cost creep. Even if we all know cost of living has gone up, it's always different seeing it written down on paper as a cold hard fact.
And this is where most money advice falls apart for parents.
Sure, skipping a latte here and there probably wouldn’t hurt any of us. But that’s not where the stress is coming from. The stress is coming from the big, unavoidable stuff. The things you don’t get to opt out of once you have kids.
Birth. Daycare. Healthcare. Benefits you thought you understood but… maybe didn’t?
So this isn’t a “make a budget” issue. This is a don’t overpay for the big stuff issue.
In it you’ll find:
✅ The uncomfortable truth about medical bills — and how families actually lower them
✅ A benefits loophole that can put real money back in your pocket
✅ Why some of your biggest kid-related expenses aren’t as fixed as they seem
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💸 Medical Bills Are Negotiable (Even If No One Says That Out Loud)
👉 Say it with us: medical bills are not always final prices. In fact, some flexibility on billing in built into the entire dang system.
Two things to try:
Asking for an itemized bill. Errors are incredibly common, especially around birth and hospital stays.
Calling billing and asking what adjustments are available. You don’t need a dramatic story. A simple “we’re a family with high childcare costs” is often enough to start the conversation.
If calling makes you want to crawl under a table (I see you, Gen Z/Millennials), there are medical bill advocacy services that do this on your behalf. They review bills, flag errors, negotiate, and typically only take a cut if they save you money. (Granted is one example we've downloaded but haven't yet tried.)
💸 You Can Often Get FSA/HSA Money Back After You’ve Paid
👉 Most people assume that if they paid out of pocket, or if time has passed, that money is gone. In fact, that’s often not true.
With FSAs and HSAs, you can usually submit receipts after the fact for reimbursement — sometimes months later. Which means there’s a decent chance you’ve already paid for something that still qualifies.
Commonly missed parent expenses:
prenatal care
delivery-related costs
pediatric visits
lactation consultants
therapy (for you or your kid)
medical equipment
Check your specific plan's rules with your administrator or HR but deadlines can be as late as March 31st for the prior plan year. That means you have the chance to get your own money back, tax-free, for things you already paid for.
Did you know? 🧃 JuiceBox is built by a tiny team of working parents just like you. We curate and write this stuff so you don’t have to but we’d LOVE for you to get in on the action.
💬 Got a time-saving tip or a chaos-fighting hack of your own? Hit reply and share it—we all need a village, and we’d love to hear from you.
👯♀️ Know a fellow parent who needs this? Forward away or hit this button:
💸 Some “Fixed” Child Expenses Are Still Negotiable
👉 This one feels uncomfortable too — which is probably why so few people try it.
Daycares and childcare providers don’t advertise this, but many have some flexibility around:
rate increases
sibling pricing
temporary adjustments
loyalty or retention considerations
Especially during renewals, schedule changes, or when a second child enters the picture.
Try framing it as:
We love it here and want to stay long-term, but the cost is getting tight. Are there any options or programs we should know about?
Is it guaranteed? No.
Is it worth five minutes to ask? Absolutely.
The same logic often applies to other family expenses too —> internet, phone plans, utilities. A lot of companies have retention or hardship rates they’ll never mention unless you bring it up.
K that’s all. You’re the best and we love you.
-CK “My Biggest Bill is Berries” Fuller (Editor) & the JB Crew 🫡
P.S. Next week: Should I Quit My Job? and Other 3AM Thoughts.